Spend Wisely, Reduce Debt, Increase Wealth

The purpose of this blog is to reach more people such as yourself to help you:

1. develop a “miser mentality” (i.e. be frugal)

2. live comfortably while spending below your means, no matter what your income;

3. stop living paycheck to paycheck;

4. plan so that you are not (overly) concerned about losing everything if you lose your job

5. afford to retire or stay retired;

6. obtain financial security and accumulate assets and investments

In preparing to start a blog with a focus on the above objectives, I realized that much of this consumer “miser” mentality has been ingrained in me by my parents. Everyday family themes included: “Don’t waste food,” “close the door before all the heat gets out,” “money does not grow on trees,” “close the refrigerator before all the cold air gets out,” “turn off the lights, you are wasting electricity,” “turn down the heat,” “put an extra blanket on your bed, it’s going to get cold tonight,” “we are having leftovers (again) tonight,” “eat your vegetables, some kids are starving in [insert country],” “pick up your clothes, there are no maids working here.” While I grew up in a middle class family, my parents conserved and focused their limited resources on certain things they felt were the most important such as education, savings, and investments. Things such as vacations, eating out, and summer camps were not emphasized when I was growing up although my folks managed to splurge on a few things such as piano and violin lessons.

The consumer miser mentality paid off for my family. My father was laid off from his company in the late 1980s (he was in his late forties) and except for a few odd jobs and failed business ventures, he never worked again. Our family of four lived off of my mother’s salary even though our family had two children in college. Incredibly, our lifestyles really did not change much because fortunately at the time we lost my father’s salary (the largest bread winner in our family), we were already living like consumer misers— staying within budget, controlling spending, managing debt, saving money and living well below our means.

To this day, I enjoy being a consumer miser and it’s something I am passionate about. I have also made it a fun hobby and a lifestyle. Through ConsumerMiser.com, I want to share this passion in hopes of helping others.

Biography. Marcus V. Alston graduated cum laude from Amherst College with a degree in two majors: Political Science and Sociology, with a concentration of courses in Economics. He went on to obtain his Juris Doctorate in law from George Washington University Law School. Mr. Alston also attended the prestigious Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business in the MBA program before taking a leave of absence to concentrate on a major project he was tapped to head at his current employer. Mr. Alston is a practicing attorney with over 15 years of experience in the legal professional, having worked at a prestigious mid-sized law firm, a large U.S. bank, and currently at a Fortune 50 company, where he has assumed increasing levels of responsibility and leadership. At the law firm, Mr. Alston represented several small businesses and large companies. At the bank, Mr. Alston arranged financing for small businesses, large companies, and high net worth individuals. Mr. Alston has served on several boards, is a United Way volunteer, and has provided pro bono services to non-profits offering business support to small businesses. Mr. Alston dabbles in real estate and is an active entrepreneur and investor with a bullish spirit.

About the author

Brief Biography. I graduated from Amherst College with a degree in two majors: Political Science and Sociology, with a concentration of courses in Economics. I also obtained a law degree from George Washington University Law School and attended the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business in the MBA program before taking a leave of absence to concentrate on a major project I was tapped to head at my current employer. For a full bio, please read the bottom of the About Page.